This invention relates generally to earrings and more particularly to a convertible earring capable of being attached to pierced and non-pierced earlobes.
Earrings capable of being used both as a conventional clip-on earring and for pierced ears have been available for some time. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,813,407 (Arzt) and 3,122,007 (Horland) disclose earrings of this type. Both of these patents show an earring having a clip arm for clipping the earring on an earlobe, and a separate pin or post which is attached to the earring for converting it for use on a pierced earlobe. In the Horland patent, an aperture in the clip arm receives the end of the pin or post to function as a clutch member.
A significant disadvantage associated with the foregoing convertible earrings is that the pin or post is a separate member and must be attached to the earring in order to convert it for use with pierced ears. Since the pin or post is relatively small, there is a risk that it may be lost or misplaced. There is also a risk that the pin may become loose and fall off of the earlobe of the wearer since it is not permanently affixed to the earring.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages associated with prior convertible earrings by providing a convertible earring capable of being selectively attached to a pierced ear and a non-pierced ear. In a preferred embodiment, the earring comprises an ornament having an inwardly facing surface which is adjacent an earlobe of a wearer when the earring is worn, and a clamping assembly for clipping the earring on the earlobe of the wearer. The clamping assembly is pivotally attached to the inwardly facing surface of the ornament and comprises a clip portion pivotally movable between an open position and an earlobe clamping position in which the earlobe of the wearer is positioned between the clip portion and the inwardly facing surface of the ornament. Spring means biases the clip portion toward the ornament when the clip portion is in its earlobe clamping position for providing a clamping force so that the earring remains attached to the earlobe when worn.
A post is pivotally mounted on the inwardly facing surface of the ornament and is movable between a stowed position in which the post lies flat in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the ornament so that it is substantially out of the way for enabling the wearer to clip the earring on the earlobe, to a use position in which the post extends generally perpendicularly from the ornament for insertion through a pierced opening in the wearer's earlobe. When the post is in its use position, the clip portion is movable to its earlobe clamping position for securing the free end of the post and is biased against the earlobe by the spring means for preventing the removal of the earring from the pierced earlobe of the wearer.
Also in a preferred embodiment, the clip portion has an opening formed therein which receives the free end of the post therethrough for preventing the unwanted removal of the earring from the pierced earlobe. Moreover, the post is pivotally attached to the ornament by a hinge connection in which the post has an eyelet formed at one of its ends which receives a member of the ornament therethrough for hingedly connecting the post to the ornament. On the inwardly facing surface of the ornament, there are ridges formed thereon which frictionally engage the wearer's earlobe to assist in preventing the earring from slipping off the wearer's earlobe when the earring is used in its clip-on mode.
Accordingly, among the several objects of the present invention are the provision of an improved convertible earring capable of being attached to pierced and non-pierced earlobes; the provision of such an earring which is capable of easily converting between a clip-on earring and a pierced earring without having to mount a separate piece onto the earring; the provision of such an earring which is durable; and the provision of such an earring which is simple in design, and easy to construct and assemble.